Brazil follows Argentine elections with interest because of Mercosur, says Haddad

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Minister of Finance stated that he is an “integrationist” and that, therefore, he thinks of a more integrated South America in his negotiations with the European Union. Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad TV Globo/Reproduction The Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, stated this Monday (23) that it is not yet possible to comment on the results of the Argentine elections, as there is still a second round to be contested, but he added that he is following the electoral race in the neighboring country “with interest” on behalf of Mercosur. “Mercosur is very important. The Chamber [dos Deputados] has just approved Bolivia’s entry into Mercosur. It’s in the Senate now. For us, it is important to consolidate integration in the region. Regional integration is very important for Brazil”, said minister Fernando Haddad. Sergio Massa, the candidate of the government coalition and current Minister of Economy of Argentina, finished ahead in the first round of the country’s elections this Sunday (22). He will compete in the second round of the presidential race, scheduled for November 19, with Javier Milei, a populist candidate who defines himself as a libertarian and who, in August, had won the primary vote. Argentina is Brazil’s third largest trading partner and, as a member of Mercosur, he is participating in the negotiations to close the agreement with the European Union. After emerging victorious in the August primaries, Milei stated that Mercosur “must be eliminated” and that he will prioritize relations with the United States and Israel. He is also contrary to Argentina’s entry into Brics. The agreement with the European Union is being negotiated by technicians from the countries involved. Some points are still making it difficult for the agreement to be closed. Among them is the issue of government purchases, which is a critical point for Brazil, in addition to subsidies for the agro sector, which is the most important part for Europeans. Massa’s performance surprises the Lula government, which favors Milei in the 2nd round. Last week, in an interview with Reuters, Haddad admitted that a possible victory for Javier Milei worries the Brazilian government. This Monday, the Finance Minister stated that he is an “integrationist” and that, therefore, he thinks of a more united South America in his negotiations with the European Union. “We are about to negotiate an agreement with the European Union, and the more integrated we are, the better we can sit at the table with the European Union and make a good agreement for the region,” he said. “So this issue of integration has very big implications. It’s not an isolated thing. It’s not an ‘everyone takes care of themselves’ thing. We have to think about the region as a whole to see the most appropriate way to make this region develop again We have been without development for many years”, he concluded.

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